By: by Mark Toma
Toledo Box Score I
PSU Box Score
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Kennesaw State had to wait a day to begin the 2010 USF Under Armour Showcase as rain and inclement weather postponed yesterday's games, and the Owls may wish they could have waited a little longer, as Toledo and Penn State handed the Black and Gold a pair of losses on Saturday afternoon at the Eddie C Moore Complex.
The Owls (12-9) fell to the Rockets, 6-2, in the first game and then dropped a 5-0 decision to the Nittany Lions in the nightcap.
Ashley Burkett provided the only offense for the Owls in the opener, getting a pair of hits including a two-run home run, her third homer of the season, in the top of the seventh inning. Burkett, who also had a hit in the nightcap, extended her hitting streak to 10 games and her two runs batted in gave her 18 and tied her with Jessica Cross for the team lead.
Kennesaw State would get six hits in the game and leave six runners on base. Klair Wells, Jensen Hackett, Hannah Graham and Kelsey Kulk had hits for the Owls, who dropped their third straight game with the loss.
Amanda Burns (2-2) started an threw two innings before Abbey Meixel entered then game in relief in the third inning. Burns allowed a run on two hits in both innings and re-entered the game in the sixth, where she surrendered four runs. Meixel pitched three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three batters.
The Owls had a chance to jump on top of Toledo (3-13) in the top of the first inning when they put runners on first and second with one out after Wells singled and Jessica Cross was hit by a pitch. However, the Rockets starter Hannah Rockhold, who won her first game of the year, struck out Jenna Closner and Karlie Gillam to end the threat.
In the nightcap, Penn State (14-7) scored three runs in the top of the first inning, added solo runs in the fourth and seventh innings to defeat the Owls, 5-0, and hand the Black and Gold their fourth straight defeat.
Cross (6-2) walked the first two batters of the game and then gave up an RBI single to Cassidy Bell and a two run single to Lauren Rossi in the opening frame. Cross was able to settle down, allowing just two more runs over the final six innings, including retiring the side in order in the second, third and sixth innings.
Kennesaw State put two hits together in the bottom of the fourth inning with singles by Burkett and Sharon Swanson, but Penn State starter Jackie Hill got Closner and Gillam to ground out to the right side to end the inning. Hill (8-4) pitched a complete game shutout, allowing the Owls four hits while striking out eight batters.
The Owls will conclude the abbreviated tournament on Sunday morning when they take on Stony Brook at 11:15 a.m. Stony Brook defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 6-3, in its first game on Saturday.
